(Ecofin Agency) - Cote d’Ivoire needs about $2.4 billion (FCFA1,320 billion) to make sure that its whole population has full access to drinking water. This was disclosed last week by Ivorian minister of economic infrastructures, Dr. Kouakou Amédée during the presentation ceremony for the programme associated with the mentioned investment, ‘’Eau Pour Tous’’ (Water for All). 

The main objective of this programme is to put an end to water shortages in Cote d’Ivoire. This, by insuring continuous access to the resource for 100% of the country’s population and also by setting mechanisms for rational and sustainable management of available water resources, in order to lower cost of access to drinking water.  

In details, the scheme will be carried out in two stages. During the first which began last year and will end in 2020, overall, FCFA200 billion ($364 million) will be spent to install 200 water towers and 8,000 pumps in villages. Part of the investment will additionally be used to repair 21,000 damaged water pumps in villages. 

By the end of this stage, 82.5% of the Ivorian population should have access to drinking water. This would result in 60% populations of rural areas and 85% in urban areas having water.  

The first stage will also help connect 45,000 homes to the network of the country’s water utility, Société de distribution d’eau de la Côte d’Ivoire (SODECI). Moreover, billing period will be reduced from three to two months. 

In the second stage of the Water for All programme which will require an investment of FCFA1,120 billion (about $2 billion), will cover structuring projects, and involve the expansion and diversification of water networks in major cities.  

According to Minister Amédé Koffi Kouakou, about FCFA400 billion (around $729 million) have been disbursed since 2011 by the government, to tackle urgent problems in the water sector.